Aspherical Lens for AA Mini MagLite

[BobbyRS]

I want to add an aspherical lens for my AA MM, but am having problems locating one. Has anyone tried thes on a AA MM?

I did find this one that looks like it should fit (22mm-dia):
http://www.surplusshed.com/pages/item/pl1110.html

I also just found this one over at DX:
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.4584

Anyone already try these?

 

[greenLED]

The Shoppe used to have some acrylic balls. I forget what size fits the MM, but the throw with one of those things is incredible.

 

[yellow]

that ball is incredible, see pics at a tread names something like "guide to minimag modding",
beamshots somewhere at the beginning of the last third on page 1.

DX link does not work here, but the SS lens wont work - the focal lenght is way too long.

 

[BobbyRS]

DX link does not work here, but the SS lens wont work - the focal lenght is way too long.

Did you mean that the DX lens WILL work?

Yeah, I was wondering about the 55MM FL:ironic:. I did seem really long.

 

[BobbyRS]

that ball is incredible, see pics at a tread names something like "guide to minimag modding",
beamshots somewhere at the beginning of the last third on page 1.

Thanks! Found it if anyone is interested. It is about a quarter of the way down:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showpost.php?p=979628&postcount=5

Also, the acrylic ball is here:
http://theledguy.chainreactionweb.com/product_info.php?products_id=134

Only $.65, not bad!

 

[BobbyRS]

Re: Aspherical Lens (Acrylic Ball) for AA Mini MagLite

I got the acrylic ball yesterday and installed it last night. I put it in a new Minimag LED version. I noticed in order to get it to look like the pictures from the Minimag guide link above you had to just remove the lens but keep the reflector. Maybe this is how it would work on a standard Minimag (non LED version). However, the result was terrible. So, I tried it without the lens and the reflector and the ball dropped all the way down to the led. Worked like a charm! Great throw! After some adjustments with the head and tailcap to get the correct focus I am very pleased. It turned out much better then I expected. Unfortunately, if you put the ball in without a reflector, it drops down so far that when you screw the top back on, the ball does not fit in tight enough and will roll up and down. I solved this by inserting the lens back in on top of the ball; screwed it back down and now it fits in tight! The good news, besides no rolling ball, is that it doesn't even stick out of the bezel!

Here are a couple of pics:

Doesn't stick out all:





You can just barely see the ball under the lens:



I don't know if you can tell, but the lens on top of the ball, is slightly bent outward:



I may try and post some beam shots later on.

 

[greenLED]

Re: Aspherical Lens (Acrylic Ball) for AA Mini MagLite

I tried it without the lens and the reflector and the ball dropped all the way down to the led. Worked like a charm! Great throw! After some adjustments with the head and tailcap to get the correct focus I am very pleased. It turned out much better then I expected. Unfortunately, if you put the ball in without a reflector, it drops down so far that when you screw the top back on, the ball does not fit in tight enough and will roll up and down. I solved this by inserting the lens back in on top of the ball; screwed it back down and now it fits in tight! The good news, besides no rolling ball, is that it doesn't even stick out of the bezel!

Sorry 'bout that, Bobby, I should've mentioned removing the reflector and the sizing issues earlier.

I may have larger acrylic balls; I don't remember them rolling up/down like that. Instead of the window, try placing an oring in front (or behind) the acrylic ball. I'm afraid you may be squishing the Lux's dome and might damage the emitter that way.

 

[yellow]

im not sure on this, but imho the ball was never meant (and never used) with the reflector, even in the original minimag.
It always pushed against the led dome (maybe damaging a small spot where they touched)

 

[BobbyRS]

Re: Aspherical Lens (Acrylic Ball) for AA Mini MagLite

Sorry 'bout that, Bobby, I should've mentioned removing the reflector and the sizing issues earlier.

No biggie. It wasn't that hard to figure something out. I enjoy it.

I may have larger acrylic balls; I don't remember them rolling up/down like that. Instead of the window, try placing an oring in front (or behind) the acrylic ball. I'm afraid you may be squishing the Lux's dome and might damage the emitter that way.

Good idea, I will look around for an o-ring that will work.... I think the led will be fine as long as I don't really mess around with the focusing that much because the way I have the head and the spring in the tailcap adjusted, I really don't need to move the head for focus. It is set on a tight beam which is what I like the most.

 

[BobbyRS]

im not sure on this, but imho the ball was never meant (and never used) with the reflector, even in the original minimag.
It always pushed against the led dome (maybe damaging a small spot where they touched)

Since the LED version of the MM's head is longer, maybe that is the reason why the reflector needed to stay in, in order to get it to look like the one in the MM guide. I have an older (non LED version) MM laying around. Maybe I will try a ball with that one too and see.